Sarek: Spock's dad travels on the Enterprise to negotiations with some aliens who we never get to see while the Enterprise crew start experiencing moments of unexplainable anger.

The Enterprise is doing a first contact thing with the Legaran. Sarek (yes, that one) is going to be the Federation ambassador. Sarek's chief of staff and personal assistant (Mendrossen and Sakkath) beam aboard first to warn Picard that Sarek's getting on a bit and they shouldn't make him do anything too strenuous. Then Sarek with his human wife Perrin beam aboard. Sarek likes teh human womens!

Wesley and Geordi review the slime pit which the Legaran's require. Wesley has a date. With a female. Even Geordi is surprised. Sarek turns up and concerned that the room isn't ready yet. Legarans are apparently fussy.

Troi suggests to Picard that they invite Perrin to the concert they're having in Sarek's honour, since Sarek himself apparently won't be able to attend. Perrin says she'll ask her husband if he wants to come, but Sarek is having trouble meditating.

In the cargo bay, Geordi and Wesley start arguing over their mutual issues with women. "Oh yeah? At least I don't have to find my women on a holodeck!" ZING! (Seriously, the rest of the crew knows about that?!) Riker breaks it up before a fistfight breaks out. Damn him.

Sarek turns up to the Mozart concert after all. Which might have been more realistic had the music matched the players' motions. The performance moves Sarek to tears, and his party has to leave.

Crusher goes psycho mom on Wesley and slaps him. Wow. She goes and angsts to Troi, who says she's heard similar stories from ten other people too. Sakkath discusses the crew with Data, and asks him about Picard's ability to take over negotiations in case Sarek's unable.

Worf and Riker walk in on a fight in Ten Forward. Riker gets punched in the face when he tries to break it up. Ouch! While Ten Forward is being picked up, the crew discuss what might be wrong - Troi and Crusher think the problem is related to the ambassador. Their theory is that Sarek losing control of his emotions due to the onset of Bendii syndrome, and is telepathically impressing his emotions on others.

Mendrossen scoffs at Picard's suggestion that Sarek may be unwell. Picard isn't convinced and has Data talk to Sakkath about Sarek. Sakkath says the mission is in jeopardy and admits he's been using his telepathic abilities to strengthen Sarek's ability to suppress his emotions.

Picard and Riker start arguing loudly on the bridge over what to do until Data interrupts them. Picard talks to Perrin who insists Sarek is fine. Sarek enters and also insists that he doesn't have Bendii syndrome. Picard suggests that that conference should be postponed, and Sakkath admits that he's been helping Sarek control his emotions. Sarek dismisses his staff and has a one-on-one chat with Picard. This ends up with Sarek getting quite angry which kinda takes the wind out of his side of the argument.

Picard decides to postpone the negotiations, but Perrin asks he help Sarek complete his mission by doing a mind meld to give Sarek emotional control. Pretty much everyone else thinks this is a really bad idea, including Sarek himself, but they go ahead and do it anyway. This mostly causes Sarek to start addressing Riker as "Number One" while Picard becomes an emotional wreck.

With the negotiations a success, Sarek and his party transfer to another ship to return to Vulcan, after giving the traditional live long and prosper farewells.

That was smashing! Of course, you can't go far wrong with Mark Lenard as a guest star...